An Evening at Georgia James
The name Georgia James feels luxurious and refined. The name rolls off my tongue with ease and maturity. Georgia James creates an experience that feels genteel and effortless. The restaurant has a masculine feel. It feels hearty and substantial. Nothing dainty about Georgia James. And as a steak house, this is a perfect atmosphere. An open kitchen allowed us to watch the heart of the restaurant operate, which I absolutely love to do! Georgia James, owned by Chris Shepherd and named for his parents, is in the former location of his Underbelly restaurant in Montrose. While Georgia James is not new on the restaurant scene, it was my first time visiting.
The occasion was a girls’ night out with my college-aged daughter. Although we were not celebrating anything specific, the restaurant and service made us feel that we were indeed in the middle of something special. Upon sitting down, we were provided warm hand towels. What a luxurious beginning! The service continued to be top-notch the entire evening.
Georgia James is a steakhouse but possesses a different feel and vibe than more traditional steakhouses such as Pappas Bros. or The Capital Grille. The Georgia James menu offers six steak selections, none of which included my usual go-to filet mignon. So, I have to confess, I did not try a steak on this visit. However, the steaks did look divine. The steaks are either wet or dry-aged and wood-grilled or seared in cast iron pans. They have a dry-aging room and a separate cut room.
We started off with the GJ Caesar Salad. As with all Georgia James portions, it was huge and definitely enough to share. Next, we split the GJ French Onion Burger – ground chuck (from 44 Farms in Cameron, Texas – about two hours north of Houston), caramelized onions, gruyere cheese, and horseradish dijonnaise. It was served with a side of steak fries. The burger was huge and messy. I think a messy burger is always a good sign! The meat tasted grilled and was very flavorful. The steak fries were huge; big chunks of potatoes with a delicious spicy crunch on the outside.
Additionally, we ordered two luscious sides. First up, the Broccoli and Cheese. The broccoli was perfectly crisp-tender. The cheese was a wonderful compliment and did not overpower the vegetable. The dish was cooked in a cast-iron skillet which gave it a unique and delicious flavor. Next up, Charred Corn. Basically, this dish is an upscale Mexican Street Corn served in a cast-iron skillet. It was full of flavor and danced on our tongues!
We truly enjoyed our dinner at Georgia James! The food and service were impressive. I look forward to going back and this next time trying a steak and some delicious cocktails!
Georgia James 1100 Westheimer Houston, Texas 77006 832-241-5088 https://www.georgiajamessteak.com/
